Flocculation mechanism



FLOCCULATION MECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1951 FIG. I.

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RALPH BCARTERJR- Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES Ph'l'hlll Qi FlCEFLOCCULATION MECHANISM Ralph B. Carter, Jr., Maywood, N. J., assignor toRalph B. Carter Company, Hackensack, N. (L, a corporation of New YorkApplicationNovember 8, 1951-, Serial.No. 255,402

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to flocculation mechanisms, and the primaryobject is to provide an improved type of construction of the equipmentto perform flocculation.

In the removal of suspended and colloidal solids from turbid liquidssuch as water, sewage, trade wastes and the like, the process known asflocculation is used. In general, this process is the addition of achemical or chemicals to the liquid to be treated, which addition causesthe formation of particles of doc or floc nuclei. A mild agitation thenallows the fioc to grow and agglomerate.

The mechanisms which are used for this mild agitation are known asfloccers or flocculators.

The major disadvantage of this type of equipment previous to myinvention, is the fact that most all of them require shafting andbearings that are below the liquid level. This type of corn structionresults in the use of expensive underwater fittings, which require agreat deal of dinicult maintenance. If there is a breakdown of theequipment it necessitates the shutdown and drainage of the tank, therebyreducing or elimihating the effectiveness of the plant.

My existing- .patent No. 2,499,816 overcomes these difiiculties, but thepresent invention considerably reduces the expenses of maintenance andconstruction.

The invention consists of paddle reel which consists of a plurality ofpaddles generally horizontally disposed, held together by one or morespiders having rims each with a seat for the reception of a cable, rope,or chain, said paddle reel being supported in the liquid by loopportions of said cables, suspended from mechanism disposed above thelevel of the liquid, including means for moving continually said cableor the like, for the purpose of rotating the paddle reel.

This invention will be further described, embodiments shown in thedrawings, and it will be finally pointed out in the claims.

8 shows a section taken on line .8-8 of Fig. 5.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe various views.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism consists of a tank ll, havingan inlet lZa. and outlet 22), with a tank upper surface It.

On the tank upper surface 53, are mounted conventional types of pillowblocks M which support the shafting it. On the shaft i5, and between thepillow blocks is fixed to the side walls of the tanks, are securedsheaves it. Around these sheaves iii, are endless cables, chains .orbelts ll. On the shaft i5, is secured a sprocket lea, which upon beingrotated by an external source such as .a motor 22, transmits itsrotative movement to shaft 15. This rotation of shaft l5, and itssheaves E15, causes the cables H to move.

Instead of sheaves, pulleys or sprockets may be used.

Within the lower loops of the cables or belts ll, a paddle assembly 18is supported. This is formed by two spaced spiders having the appearanceof the spokes of a wheel. They are preferably made of structural steel.A ring 41 forms a circumferential enclosing portion of "the spokes ofthe spiders til. The cross section of such a rim is v shaped or of acircular shape, or of a rectangular groove, the shape being immaterial,provided the recess forms a satisfactory seat 52 for preventing thecable I! from slipping out. As an alternative, pins may be placed on theperimeter adapted to engage the openings of the links of the chain orthe like, if one is used. Instead of having the rings 4| at each end,they may be placed in any suitable position. Two or more rings may beused.

In the embodiment, paddle bars Q3 are secured to the spokes and extendfrom ring to ring. These may be of wood, metal or any other suitablematerial. In one embodiment, the shape of the paddles is that offlatboards; the shape is not material, as V-shaped paddles could beused. The paddles could be mounted at various radii inwards of therings, or in some other fashion, as shown by 53 in Fig. '7.

The two spiders and rings with their longitudinal paddles form areel-like structure which is engaged by the cables, ropes, or chains,into the lower loop of which they are supported.

The character of the suspension of the reels enables them to be freelymovable in the liquid; that is, without any restricting holding. Therotation of the same is gentle in the liquid thus aiding flocculation.

All the driving and mechanical parts for suspending the reels are abovethe level of the liquid, enabling repairs to be readily made. Onlyportions of the chains, ropes or cables, and the paddle reels are belowthe level of the liquid. The foregoing mechanism is of the simplest, lowin cost and easy to repair.

If the requirements of the conditions call for more than one flocculatorpaddle reel assembly, they may be hung in groups as shown in Fig. 1. Insuch an instance, the sheaves l 9a are in multiple, and may be rotatedtogether by the use of belts, cables, or chain 20, although it isfeasible to use each shafting l and its paddle l8, independently fromany others.

In Fig. 6, is shown a possible combination of paddle assemblies l8,being operated in multiple from a common shaft I5. The assemblies 18 maybe suspended also one from another as shown; there may be more than onepair of sheaves I6, on the shaft IE; or even the possibility of doublehung and single hung assemblies 18, on one shaft 15, as shown in Fig. 6.

Although several forms of the invention are shown to enable a thoroughunderstanding of the principle involved, I do not desire to be limitedto those specific forms, as many variations are possible to thoseskilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a flocculating apparatus, having a tank or basin having aninfluent section located at one end thereof and an eiliuent outflowsection located at the opposite end portion thereof and through whichtank the liquid flows along a longitudinally extending path from theinfluent section to the outflow section; the combination of agitatingmeans within said tank provided by a rotatable paddle reel of spacedrings with radial spokes, said spokes carrying relatively horizontalpaddles suspended in the liquid, transverse to the flow of said liquid,a flexible, movable endless supporting means of the rings of said reel,said rings being seated in said means, and supporting means for thefirst named supporting means, and means moving the ring supportingmeans, whereby on the movement of said ring supporting means, the reelis rotated on its axis, moving the paddles through the liquid.

2. In a flocculating apparatus, having a tank or basin having aninfluent section located at one end thereof and an effluent outflowsection located at the opposite end portion thereof and thru which tankthe liquid flows along a longitudinally extending path from the influentsection to the outflow section; the combination of agitating means, withsaid tank provided with a rotatable paddle reel carrying relativelyhorizontal paddles suspended in the liquid, and a flexible, movablesupporting means in the form of a loop, said supporting means supportingsaid paddle reel in its lower larger loop by said larger loop engaginglateral ends of said reel, and said supporting means being suspendedfrom its upper smaller loop, a sheave for the smaller loop, said sheavebeing mounted on shafting supporting in a substantially horizontalposition by bearings located above the liquid level of the tank, andmeans for rotating said shafting, the axis of said paddle reel beingtransverse to the general line of flow of liquid in the tank.

3. In a flocculating mechanism, the combination of a paddle reelincluding lateral rings and longitudinally disposed substantiallyhorizontal paddles, extending from ring to ring, means supporting saidpaddle reel in the liquid of a tank, including an endless supportingmeans into the lower larger loop of which the paddle reel is supported,means outside and above said liquid for moving said supporting means,outside means including a sheave engaging the upper smaller loop of saidsupporting means.

4. The structure of claim 3, with means for rotating said sheave.

5. The structure of claim 3, with seats on said rings, paddle reelengaging said supporting means.

RALPH B. CARTER, J R.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A FLOCCULATING APPARATUS, HAVING A TANK OR BASIN HAVING ANINFLUENT SECTION LOCATED AT ONE END THEREOF AND AN EFFLUENT OUTFLOWSECTION LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE END PORTION THEREOF AND THROUGH WHICHTANK THE LIQUID FLOWS ALONG A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PATH FROM THEINFLUENT SECTION TO THE OUTFLOW SECTION; THE COMBINATION OF AGITATINGMEANS WITHIN SAID TANK PROVIDED BY A ROTATABLE PADDLE REEL OF SPACEDRINGS WITH RADIAL SPOKES, SAID SPOKES CARRYING RELATIVELY HORIZONTALPADDLES SUSPENDED IN THE LIQUID, TRANSVERSE TO THE FLOW OF SAID LIQUID,A FLEXIBLE, MOVABLE ENDLESS SUPPORTING MEANS OF THE RINGS OF SAID REEL,SAID RINGS BEING SEATED IN SAID MEANS, AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THEFIRST NAMED SUPPORTING MEANS, AND MEANS MOVING THE RING SUPPORTINGMEANS, WHEREBY ON THE MOVEMENT OF SAID RING SUPPORTING MEANS, THE REELIS ROTATED ON ITS AXIS, MOVING THE PADDLES THROUGH THE LIQUID.